49ers headline 2024 NFL Pro Bowl with 9 players like Josh Allen and Jared Goff left out: Who was overlooked?

The San Francisco 49ers lead the NFL with nine players named to the 2024 Pro Bowl rosters announced Wednesday. Quarterback Brock Purdy and cornerback Charvarius Ward are first-time Pro Bowlers while wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was named an alternate. Including Aiyuk, 12 alternatives originate from San Francisco.

NFC Pro Bowl quarterback selections also include Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Los Angeles Rams veteran Matthew Stafford, while the AFC includes Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff and Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts were the most notable Pro Bowl snubs.

Rams star Aaron Donald made history with his selection, becoming the only defensive lineman since 1970 to reach the Pro Bowl in each of his first 10 seasons. For the Ravens, this period marks the second straight year that Baltimore has had seven Pro Bowl players.

Player selections were determined by consensus votes from fans, players and coaches. The 49ers also dominated fan voting, with Purdy — the first 49ers Pro Bowl QB since Jeff Garcia in 2002 — receiving 451,864 votes, McCaffrey receiving 429,993 votes and George Kittle receiving 373,750 votes. Tagovailoa received 414,502 fan votes and Chiefs TE Travis Kelce received 327,263 votes to round out the top five fan vote getters.

The NFL switched to a new format for the Pro Bowl for the 2023 season, moving from a football game to skills competitions and other events culminating in a flag football matchup between the AFC and NFC. The format will continue for a second year in 2024, when the Pro Bowl will be held on February 4 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

The Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli, are set to return as coaches for the AFC and NFC teams for the 2024 event.

More Pro Bowl selections:

Running backs and fullbacks

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Wide receivers

NFC

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Tight ends

NFC

• San Francisco 49ers T George Kittle
• Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta

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• Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce
• Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku

Offensive linemen

NFC

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Defense line ends

NFC

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Full backs inside and outside

NFC

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Corners and cabinets

NFC

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Special teams

NFC

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Have any QBs been overlooked?

Purdy and Prescott make sense for the NFC. But Stafford over Goff? The Lions starter — who traded for Stafford two years ago — has slightly better numbers and a better record this season. The AFC picks — Tagovailoa, Mahomes and Jackson — are a no-brainer. Could Josh Allen have beaten Mahomes if not for the Bills' struggles throughout most of the year? Or…could CJ Stroud have cut Mahomes given the Chiefs' struggles had the rookie not been injured? — Mike Jones, NFL senior writer

With so much WR talent, players had to be cut

Wide receiver is a crowded spot in the NFC. Lamb and Brown make sense at first, and few would argue with including Evans and Nacua as reserves. But arguments can certainly be made that Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Moore and Aiyuk deserve to make the team. Who else could you replace? Evans is the only one entering Week 18 with fewer than 1,300, but he also has more touchdowns (13) than any of them. In the AFC, an argument can be made for Courtland Sutton (10 touchdown catches) to make the team. But Hill, Chase, Allen and Cooper are a tough quartet. — Jones

There are no complaints in the RB category

Nothing here, at least. All six picks have surpassed the 1,000-yard mark this season and boast versatility with the abilities to contribute to the passing game. — Jones

In the AFC, Jets quarterback Quincy Williams should have reached that level after recording 131 tackles, 15 loss and an interception. But New York's lack of success likely cost him.

The NFC's omission of Tampa Bay's Antoine Winfield Jr. is curious. He certainly had a more productive campaign than Baker in Arizona. — Jones

From humble beginnings to the 49ers core

The 49ers had a league-high nine Pro Bowlers, the most since the 2013 team fell to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game. This year's group includes a pair of new players with Purdy and Ward, who stand out from humble beginnings in the NFL.

Purdy, of course, was the final pick in 2022 who in his second season leads all starting quarterbacks in passer rating and who on Sunday set the 49ers franchise record for passing yards in a single season with 4,280.

Ward, meanwhile, went undrafted out of Middle Tennessee State in 2018. He had a sensational second half of the season in 2023, including shutting down Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf in Week 12 and returning an interception 66 yards for a touchdown three weeks later vs. basics. Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Ward has only surrendered two shutouts in 16 games. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 56.8 when targeting him.

One overlooked player: Aiyuk, who has already set a career high with 1,317 receiving yards and leads the league with an average of 18.3 yards per catch. — Matt Barrows, 49ers beat writer

Required reading

(Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)